Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
